Gandhi kept his promise. He reached natal in
time to lead the Indian deputation, but the Colonial Secretary gave the
deputation a cold reception. The Indians felt disheartened. From Natal, Mr.
Chamberlain proceeded to the Transvaal. The Indians there also wanted Gandhi
to present their grievances to him.
Before the Boer war, Indians had been free to
enter Transvaal at any time, but now they had to obtain a permit from the
newly created Asiatic Department. The new rule was designed to separate
Indians from the whites. To get a permit was no easy matter.
The officers of the Asiatic Department did
their best to prevent Gandhi from entering the Transvaal but he had his way
in the end. He got a permit and went to Pretoria. He was not allowed,
however, to lead a deputation and present the memorandum he had drafted.
Gandhi now decided to stay in the Transvaal and fight the colour bar which
was taking such ugly shape there. He realized that now he would not be able
to leave the country, as he had hoped to do. He there fore settled down and
prepared to do his utmost for the cause of the coloured people, particularly
his countrymen.
He was enrolled in the Supreme Court at
Johannesburg. He rented a place and established his office. He made good
earnings from his practice, but his heart was his office. He made good
earnings from his practice, but his heart was in the service of the people.

With his office colleagues in Johasnnesburg

Meanwhile, he continued his experiments with
vegetarianism. He gave up all luxuries and pleasure pleasures. His idea was
to tune his physical body to his spiritual self.
It was at this time that a friend, Madanjit,
came to Gandhi with a proposal to start a journal called Indian Opinion.
Gandhi liked the idea and in 1904 the journal was launched. Mansukhlal
Naazar was the editor. Gandhi helped the journal generously, contributing
money from his own earnings. He also organized the work and wrote the
editorial column.
The journal published every week in Gujarati
and English, reflected his ideals and gave the Indians readers a liberal
education. With absolute frankness Gandhi pointed out to them their failings
and prejudices. Indian Opinion also gave the Europeans a correct picture of
the difficulties faced by the Indians in South Africa.
After the rains in 1904 there was a sudden
outbreak of plague in one of the gold mining areas near Johannesburg. It
soon spread to the Indian quarters. Gandhi rushed to the spot and organized
preventive measures. With the help of friends, he set up improvised
hospitals and looked after the sick.
Another thing that happened that year was that
Gandhi met H.S.L. polka, then a sub-editor of The Critic. The two soon
became fast friend as there outlook on life was similar.
Polak presented to Gandhi a copy of a book by
John Ruskin called Unto This Last. This book on economics presented many new
ideas, and it influenced Gandhi a great deal. He then hit upon the idea of
starting a farm and founding a community with a true sense of brotherhood.
His friends supported the project enthusiastically.
About a hundred acres of land were acquired at
a place called Phoenix near Durban, and a farm was set up. In the beginning
six families were settled there. Indian Opinion was moved to Phoenix,
complete with press and office. Members of any race could freely go and live
there, cultivating the soil or working at the press.
Gandhi, however, could stay in the Phoenix
settlement only for brief periods. His headquarters were at Johannesburg
where he continued his practice as lawyer. He knew that it would not be
possible to return to India in the near future, so he decided to send for
Kasturbai and the children. They soon joined him.
Whenever he found time he undertook the task
of educating his three sons. He also pursued the experiments with his diet.
'I intend to be the ruler of my body,' he would say, 'the spirit can only
rule me if I free of earthly wants.'
'Coffee and tea were given up. Milk went next.
Some times he would fast, taking only water. kasturbai watched all this
silently. She knew it was useless to argue with her husband on such matters.
In 1906, the Zulu 'Rebellion' broke out in
Natal. It was a no-tax campaign. The Zulus were only asserting their rights,
but the whites got panicky and declared war against the Zulus.
Gandhi's sympathies were with the Zulus, but
they were fighting against the British and Gandhi believed that the British
Empire existed for the welfare of the world. He considered it his duty to
help the British. He offered to form an Indian Ambulance Corps. The
authorities accepted the offer.
The Indian Ambulance Corps was formed. It
consisted of a squad of twenty-four men, and was in active service for six
weeks, nursing and looking after the wounded.
Gandhi realized that the whites were
determined to enforce the tax on the unwilling Zulus. They wanted to put
down all resistance and deny the coloured people their rights in their own
land.
The Zulu 'Rebellion' was finally over and
Gandhi returned to Johannesburg. His presence was needed there to look after
of oppression from the white settlers.

Medals awarded to Gandhi for his services during two wars in
South Africa